Systematic support is provided in Belarus to the development of territories affected by the Chernobyl disaster

27 April 2023

Since 1986, in Belarus, systemic and comprehensive state support, international assistance from UN agencies and donors have been helping to restore the affected areas and population from the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant. Joint efforts help affected areas to accumulate and successfully put into practice unique knowledge in the field of regional development:

• in 2022, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) assisted in the collection of 34 innovative technologies and the development of 11 digital solutions for the development of the Chernobyl regions;
• the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus, in partnership with UNDP, developed a digital map of business support infrastructure entities;
• to meet the need to scale up preparedness and response to radiation emergencies, the World Health Organization (WHO) developed the Approach for Supporting Mental Health in Radiation and Nuclear Accidents in 2020;
• The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) works to promote reproductive health and gender equality;
• The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is systematically working with children and adolescents in the affected areas;
• UNDP, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, is working to restore valuable ecosystems — peat bogs and floodplain meadows in the Belarusian Polesie region;
• 330 tons of persistent organic pollutants (PCB-containing wastes) and others were removed from the territory of the Gomel region and safely disposed of.
• UNDP, in partnership with the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, is working to restore valuable ecosystems — peat bogs and floodplain meadows in the Belarusian Polesie region;
• 330 tons of persistent organic pollutants (PCB-containing wastes) were removed from the territory of the Gomel region and safely disposed of and etc.

In total, since 1986, with the support of UN agencies in Belarus, more than 80 large-scale projects and programs for restoration and development have been implemented for a total amount of more than 70 million US dollars. Also, six specialized national programs with a budget of more than 19 billion US dollars were sent to eliminate the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.

Facilitating the transition of the Chernobyl region from recovering to sustainable development contributes to the creation of new opportunities for human development and innovation, which makes an important contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

More detailed information about the development of the territories affected by the Chernobyl accident can be found at the link.

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